The Absorb drug eluting vascular scaffold, which is made of a naturally polylactide material, gets dissolved within the vessel and increases the blood flow to the heart.
The BVS also delivers an anti-proliferative drug, everolimus, that inhibits in-stent neointimal growth in the coronary vessels following stent implantation.
The international launch of Absorb is based on a clinical trial program that includes five studies, conducted in more than 20 countries.
The study data demonstrated that Absorb can provide traditional measures similar to a drug eluting stent including major adverse cardiovascular events and target lesion revascularization.
Erasmus University Hospital interventional cardiology professor Patrick W. Serruys said, "With the launch of Absorb, a scaffold that disappears after doing its job is no longer a dream, but a reality."
Absorb BVS, which is currently in development, is neither approved nor authorized for sale in the US, according to the company.
